Blog / Vlog

I remember the moment that I ‘discovered’ art. I remember the spark that hit me, that told me YOU ARE AN ARTIST, YOU CAN MAKE ANYTHING & THE WORLD IS OPEN TO INTERPRETATION.

It was in first or second grade. We were learning how to cut & fold paper 'properly'. Anti-climactic? Not really, because the sensation was as epic as I remember, I promise. I was like, WHOA, I GOT THE POWAH. So, yea, even though I was tiny, & it was a simple exercise I remember that moment to this day. I remember the kid next to me was like, you're way too into this. And I was like, WATCH ME FLY.

I remember the class room. I was on the left side of the hallway, a long rectangle from left to right, we were sitting on tallish tables. I was in the back left corner. I remember the teacher, her face, her vibe, but I can’t remember her name. Im sure I could look it up. But here comes the good part!

Back in MA before I went through the difficult (for me) transition that was moving to Denver, CO, I was working at an organic café, and she came in. The teacher came in. I was like - TUNNEL FLASHBACK TO MY FIRST GRADE MOMENT OF ‘IM AN ARTIST, WATCH THE F* OUT WORLD.’ I HAD to tell her! I had to tell her I had this moment in her class. So I did. And it was such a beautiful moment, for her, for me, for artists and creatives everywhere. Because it’s human connection that makes our world worthwhile. It’s nature and our innate need to create that makes it, ALIVE and VIBRANT. She was touched, and I was sure to make what ever she ordered that day especially imbued with gratitude.

Some projects are finished quickly, with the flow moving in one steady stream. When it's finished, the project is simply complete. Satisfying and clear. Other projects take time, and thought and the right moment. The latter is what happened with this giant dream catcher, that I've nick-named "Giant Dreamy" because writing giant dream catcher every time is too long. And this kind of project often takes on a life of its own...

Finding something spontaneous on a journey is more valuable than any plan you could hope yo make. We can walk in with no expectations and find ourselves not only pleasantly surprised, but stunned by the surroundings we come to experience.

First there is you. Your abilities. Your excitement. Your doubts.​There is working through the moment, at midnight before you hike out, that what you’ve been told – a 4 mile hike in and out - is actually a 7.4 mile hike each way. You hold back tears (which come mostly from over tiredness, but also from fear that you can’t do it, that your body will not hold you all that way.) You let a few tears fall just because it feels better that way. Then you try to get some sleep.​There is the early morning drive, and psyching yourself up. Willing yourself to get excited about doing something that may or may not suck. Then there is letting go and trusting. You have everything you will need. There is nothing left but to allow. Watching the greenery fly past the car window, the mountains and the open road beckoning you. The hawk trolling the skies, welcoming you. That familiar feeling of freedom.

I just posted this CROCHET TUTORIAL video on how to make an adorable little daisy! It's a bit between beginner and intermediate, so give it a shot. It's a perfect little gift! Add it to a bracelet, hair tie, necklace, key-chain, a nice touch to packaging, or what ever you like! Grab your hook, pick out some fun yarn and let's get to it!

When you "Join The Tribe" you'll get the free written pattern download - once you do, head on over to the video to crochet along with me, or take it at your own pace! That's the beauty of the written pattern. Plus, it's colorful, it's fun, and it's pretty simple.

Let me know in the comments if you try this out, or if you have any questions!

I was listening to Gala Darling's talk on Instagram Stories yesterday and was inspired to write down things that make me happy in 4 categories: Mental, Emotional, Physical, Spiritual.

Feel free to make a list yourself of a few things in each category that just make you happy and use this list to enrich your life.

Some examples from my list:

Play Ukulele (Emotional)

Dance / Oula / Stretching (Physical)

Spend Time In Nature (Mental)

Sleep (Physical)

Quality Time With Nick (Emotional)

Meditation, Energy Management, Ritual (Spiritual)

Make it pretty and hang it somewhere near your front door to help remind you to give yourself those things. Do not use to make yourself feel bad about things you don't do on the list, simply to remind yourself of those simple things that keep your life uplifted.

Another item on my list was "Mindful Tea Breaks." Rather than simply making cup after cup unceremoniously I want to bring little more ritual back into making my tea. This is a great way to enhance something that I'm already doing, rather than adding another thing to the list.

We humans have many rituals - but what separates them from habits? What is the difference between the two? When I drink tea as a vehicle of caffeine, it looses the ritual. It becomes almost a reflex, lacking the heart behind it. But this may not be the case for all....

Mini Tangent: This makes me think of my time spent in Italy. Their ritual (habit?) of "predere un caffé" at the bar. Not to go, not in a rush. To be fair "un caffé" means you'll get an espresso. There are many articles about ordering coffee correctly in Italy, illustrating how you can give yourself away as a tourist all too easily. Also, a bar is a coffee shop. And a café is a bar with more food. At least to the best of my memory...

The Italian ritual of coffee may be more habit, but who am I to say? It's a cultural thing. I'd argue it's a bit more ritual because people connect over it. To bring more heart into my own tea ritual (and sometimes I do "predere un caffé,") I want to make my cups or pots of tea with intentions. Bringing a moment of mindfulness to the tea I make will not only add ritual to my day, but this will help me stay connected to my purpose and connected to my heart. Finding a moment to tune in more deeply to what I am feeling, and allowing myself to stay in that space for a few moments, without working.

I tend to get so caught up in the doing doing doing, and granted there is a lot. But as they say, we all have the same hours in the day as [ insert fave. celebrity here ]. So choosing wisely to what we put our focus is immensely important.

Taking these moments to change how I go through my day, I anticipate, will have lovely ripple effects.

If you make a list let me know in the comments! Remember to use it to find things you LOVE not things you think you need to be doing and add more stress. Things that bring you joy!

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Have you noticed tassels are all over the place (and on everything)? What about pom-poms? Well, I have! And it's a good thing I love both!

(Can we chat for a sec. about how I neeeeed to make those gladiator pom-pom sandals?! They are so much fun & just ooze fun beachy vibes which I need in my life.(East Coast - Denver transplant, here, hi, nice to meet you! Read this for more of that story.)

This bag just went LIVE on the Etsy shop - and I'm super excited to make more with tassels and straps!

I hope you are having a great week so far. I love when my weeks are bookended by deep connecting with nature! I.E. Camping last weekend & more camping this weekend! I'm actually working on the edits for my camping vlog now! How exciting! Want to get notified about that? Subscribe on my youtube channel here! <3 I'd love it!

What do you do to stay connected to nature?​To stay wild... to bring more love into your life? Let me know in the comments! I'd love to hear from you.

I'd been wanting something just like this. A little stronger than tea, wouldn't make me feel whacked out like regular coffee. Regular coffee makes my heart race - and not really in a good way most of the time. I mean, don't get me wrong, I'll partake in a nice cappuccino or espresso here and there, but I am not totally smitten with the after affects of good ol' coffee.

Whether you're a coffee ☕️ or tea person, these cozies are perf!! 😍👍🏼(Great for smoothies too!)​I make lots of crochet things. I especially love my mason jar cozies! They're super handy, really cute and just a fun thing to have if you're obsessed with mason jars (which you likely are if you're cool and hip and into reduce reuse recycle and all that). So, here is a bit about why I love them and started using them - practically and emotionally. lol

Welcome back to Alternative Thirsty Thursday!This Weeks Tea: Masala Chai from Rishi!Nick got this tea for me the other day. I guess he was feeling extra sweet becuause he got me this amazing box of Rishi tea & a bouquet of flowers! Such a sweet heart! He knows me well.

Click "Read More" for the details and more about this tea!

Make Tea, Not War"​-Monty Python (Who knew that was a MP quote?! So funny.)

I made my first real VLOG! Check it out! ​I had a lot of fun making this, so if you enjoy please leave a like & subscribe if you want to see more of my creative endeavors! :D I really enjoyed centering this blog around a project and will be doing more like this. It's a great way to tell the story.

Last weekend I shot lots of footage for a vlog, stop-motion video as well as a little tutorial for making some little crochet flowers! For the stop-motion, I wanted to share a fringe crop top style without going through as much footage as I did for the vlog, which is me creating another fringe edged top, only that one is much more of an actual how to and a longer piece with the actual vlog aspect.

So, the stop-motion idea came to me, and I needed to figure out a way to show you the supplies and general idea, without making a long drawn out how to. Just something quick and fun.

If you're into the Youtube thing, subscribe and like up this video! <3

​I wanted to share some of my latest creations with you! I've loved making these shaman bags, and there is a reason why.The idea came from a custom order for ceremony to hold items imbued with intent & love. I decided to create some with my own imbued meaning & a little story.

All items now available in my shop! Click read more to see more pics! Psssstttt.... there's a coupon code for Instagram followers!

Latest from my post on Darn Good Yarn . Com -- This was written to accompany my Double PomPom hat pattern that has been published on Darn Good Yarn!

This hat has a lot of story attached to it… but before I dive in, I want to introduce myself! My name is Erin, and I love making things. Like most creative people, I love sharing this gift with the world, and seeing the smiles and joy it brings others. I also love making things because it is where I feel most at home. Time shifts when I am creating. Finding that thing that makes time slip by effortlessly is a gift I hope everyone feels in their lives.

I’m really excited with everything that has been happening in 2017 ALREADY & I just wanted to celebrate! But I do want to say, how much I appreciate ALL of you guys and your support over the past few years... I've grown so much. You all have been there supporting me and just being a part of my community. The connections I've made and maintained via Instagram, and all the platforms of social media is truly something special. Thank you!

I want to share a tactic that has been very successful for me over the past year.

As I've looked back on 2016, one particualr mantra kept me going. It's amazing what can happen when you stick with one idea, one focus and see what you can achieve. It helps to reframe your brain when you start to fall down the all too familiar rabbit hole of negativity or unnecessary worry. I can be anxious like anyone else out there trying to get one million things done in a day because the list, it never ends and omg did I remember to post xyz to all of the things and I haven't been on Insta yet today I better do that and now it's dinner time (how did that happen?!) so let's eat and then lets go back to the phone and watch that video because we need to know the latest and greatest thing and make sure we share that article because its relevant and make sure you go on pinterest too and and and........... here's the secret, the list is as long as you make it in a day!

I'll be posting weekly to highlight my favorite beverages of the #NA variety. I wanted to create something unique and personal to post on #Thursdays that would also be fun and valuable to you! ......And wasn't #ThrowbackThursday, #ThursdayThoughts, #ThirstyThursday, #ThriftyThursday, or... well... you get the idea.... I wanted this Thursday post to be something accessible to everyone and be inspiring and positive....

And thus, #AltThirstyThursday was born!

With movements like the giant morning dance parties, #WednesdayWisdom in excess, and review posts being ever popular, I wanted to share something I love and already do on the daily: reviewing TEA! I'll review/share other things such as smoothies, juices, and the occasional coffee/cappuccino situation, but for the first few months I am starting with TEA TEA TEA.

With my feeling being summed up thusly today, Roses really hit the spot. "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."I'm so happy to be featuring a tea that highlights rose petals! That wasn't planned. <3 #JustAnotherTeaMiracleMomentForYaHere is a snippet from THIS ARTICLE about the health benefits of rose essential oil...

We're on the home stretch to the weekend friends! This is a reminder that I needed today. Keeping this top of mind. <3 Keep your eyes on the prize. Keep working for your dreams, and never let your FEAR/EGO/LEARNED LIMITATIONS keep you down. Try to keep a close watch on that part of your mind that is more like talking to you/down to you rather than your inner knowing. Keep the difference clear - and remind that negative nelly voice to stay in line. Say thanks for the reminder and concern, but I'm doing something different today. A little better everyday. And of course if all else fails, snuggle a unicorn. <3

I know it's not even cold enough yet for us to bust out the mittens or woolen jackets, but crafters and artists have to get a jump on the holiday season. If you're looking to give more meaningful gifts this year, think about going handmade. Buying handmade does a world of good. Purchasing handmade products from artists and crafters promotes our economy, supports the arts, shows you care and makes all involved feel warm and fuzzy inside. That's what makes the holidays so special. <3

I am so proud of how far my small business has come from before to now, and the fact that this pattern was downloaded 500 times in the first weekend just blows my mind! So grateful for the support and love coming from this collaboration.

This design will guide you through creating my tiered air plant hanger! It's super cute AND made with eco friendly yarn - it's made from silk that would otherwise be wasted. It's super soft and vibrant!

And the colors, can I just say are absolutely stunning. ​I also made an infinity scarf using this colorful silk yarn from Darn Good Yarn in combination with Cascade's Ecological Wool in purple! Check out the picture below. :)

I'll be designing more patterns in the future, and look forward to collaborating with other creative peeps!

I love to connect with others and build from a collaborative, creative place to make unique, wonderfully impactful, success-enabling things happen.

>>>----> This, to me, is the basis of humanity. <----<<<

Basically, I am a hyper creative extrovert with a lot of heart and love and passion to share with the world.

I make products that are eco-friendly, texture rich and as unique and RADIANT as you are. They are made to inspire you and encourage you to SHINE your true self, fully and purposefully.

Embrace your spirit - fill your space with radiance.

I love when a creative idea becomes bigger than one could have imagined, or when a jam sesh. feels more about heart than being heard.

Based in Colorado, I love to explore the mountains around me through hiking, biking and camping (nature is an infinite source of inspiration). I love tea. And if you're new to me and my work, I sometimes use the alias, "Wren" when I want to go incognito or feel special, like a bird. :)

​I don't know if it's Monday's or the pull from the mega energy that that moon of ours throws around, but what ever you believe, both had me crushed yesterday. I surrounded myself with support, some good uplifting toons suggested by this article, Will This Soundtrack Help Freelancers Manage Their Time Better?, and tried not to beat myself up to much. Tuesday, today, the actual full moon date has got me back into the hustle mode instead of struggle mode. So it goes.

"Struggle mode" was induced by my need to push past some fears around being my truest, best self.We never know when your inner demons, the patterns, the stories we tell ourselves, will surface and advocate for us to change. For me, it was yesterday (and everyday, since I'm always inviting them to go ahead and TRY ME.) But some days I can rise to the call and sometimes I fall under. BOTH ARE OK. But, I have to be honest....

The biggest reason I encourage others to let their inner artist and their creative truth shine so much is because that is my greatest struggle too. [After all, we are all mirrors of one another...]